Electric signal



G. W. s A. D. BLODGBTT.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

No. 261,989. Patented Aug.. 1, 1882.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. W. & A. D. BLODGETT.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL. No. 261,989. Patented Aug. l, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE W. BLODGETT, OF BOSTON, AND AARON D. BLODGETT, OF NEW- TON, ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES,

JAMES F. EMERSON, OF WAKEFIELD,

AND GEORGE H. WOODRUFF, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,989, dated August 1, 1882.

Application tiled December 17, 188i.

To all whom vit may concern:

Re it known that we, GEORGE W. BLOD- GETT, of Boston, in the county ot' Suii'olk and State of Massachusetts, and AARON D. BLOD- GETT, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Electric Signals, of which the following is aspecilication.

This invention has for its object to provide to an electric signal adapted to automatically operate a gong or other signaling device at any predetermined time or times, varying as desired during each successive hour ot' the day; and it consists in combining and arranging a series of electrodes adapted to be changed as desired, each representing a minute or unit of time, with a rotating cylinder or drum that will bring them successivelyinto contact with a single vertically-moving electrode located in 2o the same circuit with the series above inentioned, thereby completing the circuit and opy erating the signal. It also includes a circuitbreaking device by means of which preliminary or warning signals maybe given; and, further,

in certain other details and combinations ot' parts hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

Ot' the accompanying drawings, forming a part otl this specitication, Figure l represents o a side elevation and diagram, illustrating our invention. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, a portion of said mechanism being in a diii'erentposition. Fig. 3 represents a iront elevation of a portion ot' the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents a plan view ot' the mechanism below the line .r m of Fig. l. Fig. et represents a section on line ze, Fig. l. Fig. 5

represents a section on line y y, Fig. 1.

The same letters ot' reference indicate the same parts in all the iigures.

In carrying out our invention we provide a metallic cylinder, D, having on its outer surface a series of metallic pins or electrodesp. le also provide a single electrode, h, and

means, as hereinafter described, whereby said single electrode is caused to make contact successively with each of the electrodes of the cylinder D. The cylinder D and its electrodes 5o and the single electrode h are included in a single electric circuit, which also includes a gong or other signaling device, said circuit (No model.)

being closed and caused to operate the gong whenever the single electrode touches either of the electrodes ot the cylinder D. The electrodes p are so arranged that each is brought in contact with the single electrode 7L at a predetermined time of day or night, each electrode p representing or corresponding t0 a given minute or unit of time. Hence for con- 6o venience of description we will call them minute-electrodes.77 The cylinder D is journaled to rotate on a vertical axis supported by a base, B, and provided with twenty-four parallel peripheral rows of holes, each row representing one of the twenty-four hours and consisting ot' sixt-y holes, one for each minute of the hour. The minute electrodes p are iuserted in these holes according to the order in which signals are to be given. Should there 7o be more pins on one side otl a cylinder than another as it rotates on a vertical axis, no irregularities will result from such uneven distribution of weight, as would ensue it' the cylinder were horizontal. The longitudinal rows for holes are designated by suitable numbers ou the body ot' the cylinder, so as to enable the operator to readily determine the position for the pins. On the lower end of the cylinder are formed sixty ratchet-teeth, a2.

M represents an electro-magnet under the cylinder, the armature c ot' which is provided with a pawl, b', which at each attraction ot' the armature engages with one ot' the teeth a2 of the cylinder and rotates the cylinder 85 one-sixtieth ot' a complete rotation. The circuit is closed through the magnet M once each minute by the action of a suitable electrical clock. The cylinder is thus caused to maire a complete rotation once each hour. The arma- 9o ture is provided with astop, j', which, when the armature is attracted, abuts against the forward portion ot' a ratchet-tooth behind the one engaged by the pawl b and prevents the cylinder from rotating by its own momentum after the pawl stops.

It will be seen that as the step-by-step operating mechanism is below the cylinder, and as the frame supporting the vertical shaft is open at one side, there is no obstacle to the too ready removal ot' the cylinder for the adjustment ot' the pins or to quickly substitute another having pins differently adjusted.

At the upper end ofthe cylinderD is a metal projection, g, which comes in contact once each hour and on the hour with a spring, h, which is attached'to but insulated from a xed snpport, and is in electrical connection with an electro magnet, N, by wire 2, the other pole of said magnet being connected by wire 3 with battery No. l and the other pole of said battery by wire 4 with the metal base B, on which the cylinder is journaled, as indicated in the diagram forming part of Fig. 1. NVhen the projectionv r/ comes in Contact with spring h', therefore, the circuit (normally open) is closed through the magnet N, causing an attraction of its armature, (pivoted at 10,) thus raising an arm, Z, supported by the armature, and lifting a toothed rod, r, with which said arm is engaged, one notch. Said rod carries the single electrode h, and by its movement raises said electrode from a point opposite the row of holes containing the minute-electrodes representing one hour on the cylinder to a point opposite the next row. The electrode h and rod i' are attached toa slide, s, whichis adapted to move on a xed vertical guide, i. When the arm Z is raised, as described, it is clamped between a xed pin, m, and the side of the electrode-rod, and thus prevented from lifting said rod more than one notch at each attraction otl the armature of the magnet N. At twelve oclock at night thc electrode-rod is brought to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the arm l being engaged with the last or lowest notch ou said rod. When the next full rotation of the cylinder is completed, orat one oclocIr, the arm Lis lifted, (as previously described,) and a spring, n, on the electroderod brought against the back side of a pivoted latch, a', i'orcing said latch against the arm l, and thus removing said armfrom its engagement with the electrode-rod and clamping it against a stop, c, on a xcd frame or support, A. At the same time the heel of the latch a comes in Contact with a dog, b, pivoted to the support A and disengages said dog from the notches on the electrode-rod, the position of the various parts being as shown in Fig. 3.

It will he apparent that so long as the armature ofthe magnet N is in contact with said magnet the arm l will be held up against the stop c, and said arm, so long as thus held up, prevents the latch a from falling, and so prevents the dog b from re-engaging with the notches on the electrode-rod. (SeeFig. 3.) The electrode-rod is therefore free to fall until the electrode is brought opposite the lowest (or one oclock) ring ou the cylinder. The rod, or the slide s thereof, abuts against and is arrested by a yielding stop, t, which limits the downward movement of the rod. At the next partial rotation or step ofthe cylinder the contact between the projection g and spring h is broken, thus opening the circuit and allowing the armature to fall away from magnet N and the arm Z to drop and engage with a lower notch on the electrode-rod, and the latch a to resume its normal position, and the dog b to also engage with and support the electrode-rod.

The parts are now in position shown in Fig. 2, the position of electrode-rod heilig as shown in dotted lines. A spring, u, holds the latch a. awa-y from the dog b, and a spring, r, (see Fig. 4,) holds thearm l with a yielding pressnre against the electrode-rod. When the arm lis pushed up against stop c, as just described, and as shown in Fig. 3, it is of course against the pressure of thevsprin g fv. It will be seen, therefore, that the cylinder is rotated step by step every minute and effects a complete rotation every hour, and that the single electrode is adjusted after each complete rotation of the cylinder, so that during each hour it will coincide with a different row of holes in the cylinder from the preceding hour. The result is the contact of the single electrode with all of the minute-electrodes in succession and the closing of the circuit through a signal gong or series of gongs during each contact,which preferably lasts about seven seconds. We prefer to give one or more preliminary signals before the signal proper-,that is to say, if it is desired to signal the departure ot a train at iive oclock we prefer to give two signals as follows: two blows on the signal-gong at three minutes before five, and one blow at five. This is effected in this instance by the employment of a circuitbreaker composed of a rotary drum, M', having projections 11, 12, and 13 on its periphery, and a spring, L, adapted to malte contact with said projections as the drum rotates. l The drum M is rotated by a train of gearing driven by a spring, (not shown in the drawings,) and is held and released by stops o o2 on thefarmature ofa magnet, H,which is connected by wire 5 with the single electrode h, the other pole of said magnet being connected by wire6 with battery No. 1, and said battery by wirefl with the base B, as previously described. rEhe spring L of the circuit-breaker is insulated from its support but connected by wire 7 with battery No.1, the other pole of said battery being connected by wire 8 through a gong or series of gongs with the metal frame of the circuit-closer.

When the drum rotates the surfaces 1l, 12,

and 13 are successively brought in contact with spring L, each surface momentarily closing the circuit through the gongs, and the intermediate depressions breaking the circuit.

The parts being in position shown in Fig. l, the drum is prevented from rotating by a pin, 0, on the drum, in contact with the stop o on the armature of magnet H. When the single electrode comes in contact with a minute-electrode on the cylindersay at three minutes before ive in the case supposedthe circuit through magnet H is closed and the armature attracted, allowing pin 0 to slip by the stop 0' and the drum to rotate until the pin o is brought against stop 02. This carries the raised portion 1l nearly but not quite to contact with spring L. The stop o2 is so formed that when the armature is released by the sub-V ICO IOS

sequent opening of the circuit the pin o is rc--- leased and the drum allowed to rotate until the pin o3 is brought against stop o', thus allowing raised portions 11 12 to make contact with spring` L, striking two successive blows on the gong. Three minutes later, or at ve oclock, the single electrode strikes another minute-electrode on the cylinder. Pin o3 is released by the ensuing attraction ot' the armature and brought against stop o2, nearly allowing the surface 13 to make contact with spring L. At the subsequent release ofthe armature pin ois released. The drum revolves until pin ois again brought against stop o', allowing spring L to make contact with surface 13, and striking the final blow on the gon g.

It is obvious that instead of closing a circuit. by the contact ofthe single electrode with the several minute-electrodes, the arrangement may be such as to break or open a circuit aud call into action a secondary battery to operate the signal without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We are aware that electric signaling devices have been constructed to give signals automatically at predetermined moments, which effected their object by means of a wheel provided with adj ustablc pins forming electrodes, each representing a separate unit of time, by the rotation of which wheel these pins are brought into contact with other electrode-pins in the same circuitcarried in a trame working in connection with said wheel, and also including derived circuits, through which extra or warning signals could be given. We therefore do not claim such construction-broadly.

Vhat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic time-signal, the combination ot a cylinder' mounted upon a vertical shaft, turning in a frame open at one side, and provided with pin-holes arranged upon the intersections of parallel horizontal and parallel vertical lines, and an electro-magnet and devices operated therefrom, arranged below the lower end of the cylinder to turn the latter step by step, substantially as set forth.

2. 1n an electric signal, the combination of a rotary metallic cylinder, means t'or rotating the same at a predetermined rate, a number of series or rows of holes on said cylinder, each series being arranged so that all the holes composing it shall successively occupy a given space once during each rotation of said cylinder, minuteelectrodes or pins inserted as desired in said holes, a single movable electrode located in a circuit which is closed through a signaling device when contact is made between said single electrode and any one ot' the minute-electrodes of the cylinder D, a circuit closed through an electro-magnet by the rotating body once during each complete rotation thereof, and mechanism, substantially as described,operated bythe armature ot' said electro-magnet to move the single electrode a distance equal to the space between each row or series ot' minute-electrodes and the next, as set forth.

3. In an electric signal, the combination ot' an electric circuit including a signaling device, a series of minute-electrodes, and a single electrode operated, substantially as described, to automatically close said circuit and operate the signal at predetermined times, a mechanically-rotated drum having projections 11 12 13 and pins o o3, the contact-spring L, the electro-magnet H, and the armature having stops o 02, said parts being arranged and operated, as described, to give a denite number ot signals in succession at one closing of the circuit and a diiferent signal by the next closing, as set forth.

4t. The combination of the rotary cylinder having ratchet-teeth formed on one ot' its ends, an electro-inagnet, an armature for said magnet, a pawl operated by the armature to rotate the cylinder step by step, and a stop carried by thc armature to limit the step-by-step rotations of the cylinder, as set forth.

5. The combination of the sliding toothed rod r, having a springor arm,a, the arm l, oscillated vertically by the armature of an electromagnet, pivoted so as to oscillatelaterally, and held with a yielding pressure against the toothed side ot' the rod o", the pivoted dog b, and a pivoted latch, a, adapted to be moved by the spring n and disengage the arm l and dog I; from the rod r, whereby said rod is released and allowed to fall, as Set forth.

6. The combination ot' the cylindrical body D, having minute-electrodes p, means for rotating said cylinder step by step, the adjustable single electrode, mechanism,substantially as described, for adjusting the single electrode step by step, and an electric circuit closed through an electroanagnet by the cylinder once during each rotation thereof, and mechanisin, substantially as described, operated by the armature ot said electro-magnet to adjust the single electrode, as set forth.

7. ln an electric signal, the combination in a single electric circuit, of a metallic rotary cylinder having holes arranged in parallel rows or series, pins or minuteelectrodes inserted as desired in said holes,au electro-magnet having an armature adapted to rotate the cylinder step by step, a single electrode located on an adjustable slide,a secondary electro magnet through which a circuit is alitomatically closed at the completion ot` each rotation ot' the cylinder, and mechanism, substantially as described, operated by the armature of the secondary magnet to adjust the single electrode and cause it to coincide with a new row ot holes after each complete rotation of the cylinder, as set forth.

1n testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 12th day of December, A. D. 1881.

GEO. XV. BLODGETT. AARON D. BLODGETT. Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE.

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